


Shattered Glass of a  Broken past

by Geekyelvenchick



Category: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: Backstory, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Implied/Referenced Death in Childbirth, M/M, Minor Character Death, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 10:12:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15883962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geekyelvenchick/pseuds/Geekyelvenchick
Summary: “Just making sure we are fighting the battle in front of us. Not behind.” Goodnight could never be the one to say those words. He still battled his past on numerous occasions. Battle after battle, dream after dream. That is what his life had become after the war. A dark circle, light coming from shattered memories he tried to piece together reflecting like shards of a mirror. He was never one to talk about battling the past. Though Sam could never know. He was a coward, the Angel of Death haunted by a past he created.





	Shattered Glass of a  Broken past

The angel of Death. A man who has seen and brought so much death in his life. A nickname of a man who feared death, but not of his soul, of the souls he took on and off a battlefield, letting the firelight dance in his steely blue eyes as he spoke to Sam of the battle to come. He didn’t know this side of himself anymore as his cheery voice cracked with a chuckle.“Just making sure we are fighting the battle in front of us. Not behind.”Goodnight Robicheaux should never be a man to give advice on dealing with death when his own demons haunted him almost every night.  
  
He settled into his space between Miss Emma and Faraday near the fire. His eyes going to where Billy was keeping watch. He could make the night without his petite partner near him, he had to play his cards right. His mind focusing on a memory that flooded up suddenly from when he was a child as the camp almost became silent, save for the snores of their Mexican companion. He tipped his hat over his eyes,needing some solas to get his dream right for the night.

 

If you had to ask him how early was his first experience with death, Goody would say when he was a child. Or more when he was about eight. He is the eldest of three children. Though unfortunately his brother Augustine passed away the winter before their sister Elizabeth’s birth. He remembered hearing the doctor menchion a fever is what took him, though he could never been sure, twas a secret both his parents took to the grave,  the image of the funeral the next day sticking out ever so strongly.  
  
********  
  
_Goody had slipped away from all the people gathered in the entryway and main living area. He needed his alone time having expected August to be there by his side as he was poked, pressed and squeezed by the women in their black hooped dresses. And the men were no better, he was sure his shoulder would have been taken clean off by one man squeezing it. The boy was now in the library and study area. He sat on the lounge with a book in his lap, reading the poems of Poe, how fitting for a time like this. He was turning a page when the door squeaking made him jump._  
  
_He scanned over to the door where he spotted her. A girl no younger than himself, her tight curled brunette hair, the way she looked at him with the darkest brown eyes he has seen. Her eyes so familiar, that will haunt him so. The pair stared at each other in silence before she made the first move._  
  
_“Why are you here alone?”He hears her ask as she came over, she was so close but her voice soft and sweet. His mind then regained some sense and he gave this girl a look, surely she was implying he did not care or his parents were hiding him away like a monster He was most surely neither of them_  
  
_He closed the book on his fingers, saving the page as he prepared to set matters right.”Begging your pardon miss. But I am not here alone you are also here. Besides i am here to be away from all that. The people, asking if I am okay and I am fine,” He explained as he felt his eyes prickle and opened his book.”I have my Poe and I am.”He stopped as a tissue was set on the page, just as a tear dropped to his hand._  
  
_*****_  
  
That was when his dream was interrupted by a gun cocking, more then happy that it was the sudden need to be wary of those around him seen and not the ones unseen. Their group grew by two, Jack Horne and the native man Red Harvest. They now stood at the outskirts of Rose Creek. Sam had taken Blly into the town when Faraday addressed him.  
  
“So what happened after you and Billy met? I take it you both are more than what you’d care to admit. And rightly, I ain’t one to talk as my girl is off somewhere. Hope luck is on my side to meet up where we agreed once this is all over and done with”Faraday tells Goody as they both check over their effects. Goody chuckles as he listened and sighed as he peered off to the road. The drunken Irish-man is the first to inquire of his relationship, when he’d figure it’d be Sam.  
  
“Louisiana. Back to good ‘ol New Orleans. Needed a place to lay low case we were tracked cross state lines.”He nods as the memory faded in to his mind.”The railway companies are a real pain, almost as bad as black stones and hired guns”He tells Faraday as he let the vision take over. The scene fading into his mind like a shard of glass.  
  
******

_“Where are we Goody?”Billy, as the cajun came to know him by, asked as they road up the trail. Goody could see the man's demeanor shifting ad the white explanation grew more in size as the horses carried them on.”Why are we here? These people are more then likely worse than in that Saloon. ”He was questioned again._

 

_Goody grinned an tossed his head back as he turned the reigns to the stables. “My dear Mr. Rock’s this is our safe house. As odd as it may sound. You are safe under my roof and I tend to keep my word. Now let's head in, see if old May is here to cook up some meals. “He spoke as he dismounted. He noted Harlow in her stall as Billy did the same._

 

_“Now I will warn you,Elizabeth is somewhat a force to be reckoned with. Darn girl is more stubborn than a mountain.”He tells the darker haired male.”Try not to get on her list and you'll both get on well.”he explained or more warned before they both stopped, the door creaking open breaking his trail of thought._

 

_A little blurr of dark hair rush up to him and he grinned.”Hello sweet pea.”He greeted his daughter as she held him close,”Told you I'd be back before long now.”He whispered as he fixed her unruly,straight as a board hair from her eyes as he knelt. His blues meeting a more darkened pair of browns,though she had his looks._

 

_“Billy Rocks, I'd like you to meet my daughter,Miss Violet Adelaide Robicheaux. This is Daddy's friend Mr.Rocks.”He grinned fondly as both of his brown eyed beauties looked each other over. Billy extended a hand to the child offering a slight greeting.Violet being the first to offer a warm and friendly hug to the stoney cold Male, and Billy, well he patted the girl's back with a small subtle grin._

  
_*******_  


He hadn't realized how long he had been rambling off his story. What stopped his was Vasquez passing him a rifle. He extended a confident hand to it, but as his fingers hit the wood his memory shattered like a plate, smashed to the floor. The owl. That beast, with the human brown eyes and the voices swarming him as a cold sweat broke his skin.

 

His fear came to light,with Billy gone leaving him reduced to her mercy. He barely registered Faraday's remark on him being a family man.  He did however come to more once he was alone waiting on the signal from Sam,tugging his monogrammed handkerchief from his pocket to dry his face.

 

His mind still reeling when during the shootout, and more when he attempted to shoot the escaping male. His vision blurred the whole time, and Faraday in his ear breathing down his neck not helping much. Hearing the disappointment laced in the males words he turned as he lowered and met the more angered let down look the taller male was giving him. How he managed not to jump as Billy took his gun in that moment,seeing his mistakes Goody knew his partner could sense his distress.

 

Once they were behind the closed door to the room, and shifting some furniture to create a bigger bed. He was no less surprised to hear Billy voice his concern, watching the man fix the wrap.”I am fine Billy. Just thinking of Vi and Eliza. And home got me."He tried to play the lie out to his lover catching his hand between his own.

 

“That was not what I call fine. Goody, look at me please.”Billy's plea struck him hard.

 

The old soldier could play the role of the tough guy all he wanted. But thoughts  who knew him would see he carried his heart on his sleeve. He could never lie to his first love and it was very much the same with Billy. Perhaps his curse had started long before the war he wondered now as he chose his words.

 

“Just some old war flashes. I was reminiscing with the drunken Irish man in our troop while you were off. I'll  be fine Billy. I have you here to chase them away.”He spoke and he did. The pair of them falling asleep not long after.  Billy was the first out, Goody left rubbing his hand as he relaxed and faded in and out of a dream. A older, yet younger then Goody was now, male making his way up a dusty path to a home.

  
****  


_“My dearest we await your arrival. And hopefully our child will too.. Yours truly..” The young soldier read as he walked up the path. He was beaten,weary and eager for home. The looming loss he felt faded as he looked up to the windows of his home. And had he  had taken a look around he may have spotted something amiss._

 

_Goody sighed as he breathed in the air with his eyes closed. His home and all the smells. His wife who he will soon see. His child, if God be willing soon to be brought into this world. The door  creaks and he opened his eyes to see his sister standing there,moving in a instant, he hugs her. Their hold there lasting a moment till she pushes him back and he sees the look  on her face and in her eyes._

 

_“Liza? What is it? What's wrong?”He questions watching her dissolve into tears before his eyes. Elizabeth never did this,not in public at least. He pulled away more seeing her in her nurse's apron, stained. Her hands and arms shaking as she tries to form words. Had he have stayed it’d would have saved him more pain he dared think as he tore into the home._

 

_Their room was on the second floor first on the right. The door was ajar as he reached it his hand sweating as he seized the handle and pushed into it with his step into blackness. He panicked as he fell into the nothingness. As if what was beyond the door was a dream. The voices however were not as they all closed in around him along with a faint cry of an infant. His heart hammered faster and faster till he hit the bottom._

******

“No!”He panicked bolting upright in the bed. It took him a moment to orient himself as he glanced to the left side seeing Billy still asleep, the moonlight captures his curves under the blankets. He palmed his eyes thankful not to have woken the man as he settled in. Closing the space between them as he fell asleep again. His mind blank till the fussy infant came again.

  
*****  


_The thought of children always excited Goodnight. He knew he wanted to be a father. To leave his genetics behind weather it be male or female. And yet, he was hardly there for the first weeks of his daughter's life, emotionally or other. He didn't hate the child he tried to reason. How could he? He never saw her face to know how he felt clearly._

 

_“Goody? Hey now? Mama and I are running into town for some things for Violet.”Elizabeth tells him one day, dragging a cot into the room he was reading in. She then walked off returning with a bundle of blankets to place in it.”Mama said to put her in here. And for god's sake you better not ignore this little angel. “She warned him as their mother rounded the corner. Goody huffed as all form of retaliation blew out the open window._

 

_“Fine, fine. I left a list for you by the door.”He huffed returning to his book. He heard the door close and the silence settle. Or it almost settled till the baby made a few, almost snort like sounds from the bed she was contained in. He looked up from the page his efforts of turning it, paused by this noise, so used to her screaming and fussing, this noise was so soft._

 

_He shook it off with ease as he flipped the page with a shift in his chair he delves back into the poem.  He had yet to interact with the babe since that fateful day. It's been almost a month since the new grave appeared beneath the Willow. Goody layed eyes on little Violet almost as little as one to two times. She favored her mother too much, so much so his heart would break for the poor child. His poor child. Motherless with half a father._

 

_A mew brought him back from his self wallowing. His eyes on the crib as the noise continues. “Violet don't you start crying."He begged his voice stopping the fusses. Their eyes met,locked in a battle of will versus wits. He was so nervous as her brown eyes teared up that he dogged eared his page.”No baby. Please. Daddy.. he can't l. “He begged and reasoned before she then started to cry and wail. He covered his ears as this happened before he was up out of his chair bending down into the crib._

 

 _“There. Is this what you wanted?”He asked as he picked the small girl up. “Is this better?”He asked as she settled in his arms staring at him. If he he had known then, he would have realized they both wore the same startled look. Though hers may be a bit more exaggerated do to how her mouth was hanging open in a ‘O’ shape. But he was holding her, actually holding her, for the first time. His world slowing has a small hand wrapped around his thumb, and ne knew he needed to do more right by her in that moment._  
  
  
_****_  
  
He came to as the light outside flooded over his closed lids, sitting up with a grunt of effort he felt for Billy only to find the spot empty. His eyes then snapped to the man when he cleared his throat from across the room.”Morning Darlin’.”he greeted smoothy only receiving a slight smirk back and a eye roll. Billy was shirtless and his hair a mess,but he still looked angelic to the Cajun.” You are not soluble in doing that, Cher.”He retorts as he gets up from the bed.  
  
“Neither are you Goody, we both know this.”Billy said as he snorts tugging in shirt on.”Sam has a meeting, go over the plans and such.”He hears from the asian man tells him as he dresses,he can feel is eyes even while facing away to dress so he hums in response, which possibly was not the best choice as two hands wrap around him and he is forced to face Billy. “I promise you, Cher I am quite alright.” He flashed a convincing smile to his love and Billy hummed dropping the topic.  
  
His dreams will not return for almost a day it feels like to him. He sat with Faraday waiting for Sam to come along with whichever poor souls they were to be teching rifle skills to. He sighed as he stomped out whatever was left unsmoked in his cigarette when Faraday drew his attention. “What is it Son?”He asked as Faraday cleared his throat  
  
“You ain’t like how Lizzie described you. In her stories.”Joshua said as he lit up his own smoke.”Or sorry Elizabeth. She hates being called Lizzie. Its Eliza or Elizabeth. Hell she used your name when I first met her.”He watched Faraday grin fondly before it struck him whom he may be talking about. His sister, Faraday and his sister. When did they ever meet he wondered as he recalled many a time she had ventured off, but she had people with her right.”I do not think she wanted you to know yet." Faraday's own lips telling the truth, it was his sister.

 

He was happy when Sam arrived. But his happiness dissolving  as he attempts to lead this class. Teaching folk how to shoot ohh the irony. He could spit at that range and hit his target it became.”Come on now. Fire"he shouts before his ears are ringing yet again and the dummy is still untouched.

 

“That's hard to do this many men and miss that many targets? twice? I’m looking at a line of dead men,”Goody’s patience was wearing thin, more so due to the unneeded remarks from the Irishman.”You gotta hate what you are firing at hate it.” As he yelled at the men, Sending one home early,he failed to see Faraday had extinguished his smoke as was making his way with the discarded rifle.  His eyes casted off to the dummy again as he placed his hands on his hips.  


“These Men need inspiration. Inspire them, you are Goodnight Robicheaux after all,”He could hear Josh taunt almost and he gave a cheeky warning nod and a chuckle. His demeanor changing completely as the gun was trusted at him.”Aint’cha?” those words, it was almost the same as the ones he has heard from his sister, his wife and now this man. Who was he to do this to him he wondered.

 

“I can hit sand. We need the led.”His voice sounded foreign, or even distant to his own ears. And this did not seem to appease Faraday one bit. He watched the bigger man turn to the line of men.

 

“Twenty-three confirmed kills at Antietam. This is one of Connolly’s Confederate sharpshooters.” He sees Faraday turn on him again.”Dubbed ‘The angel of Death’.Do what he does. He's a legend,” their eyes meet as Faraday pushes the gun into him again, “... Or is that all you are.”His words were better, piercing like knives, lightning a fire under him.

 

Yanking the gun from the annoying male, Goody drew a long breath. He closed his eyes for a moment and before any flash of faces could show he took his shot. Each catching its mark and knocking the dummy's head off.

 

Once he finished, he turned on his heel forcefully tossing the gun back to Faraday as he walked away. He had no clue how he got to the inn. His vision tunneled as he stopped into the seemingly empty building, saved for a painted lady.

 

He pretended to have not seen her, moving behind the bar as he fished proper pay from his pocket he grabbed a half filled bottle of whatever. He had no care to what he was drinking, so long as he was drinking and drowning out the voices. He then scanned the bar and strolled over to the lonely piano.

 

He could see himself, just before Violets seventh birthday, sitting at the keys. His brown haired, bright eyed seven year old dancing around as he played to the melody of a song she loved, Billy sat on the bench besides him. Her song, her voice, he shuddered as he looked up. The woman came over and touched him as he was in thought, making him jump back into his current time. It was a bitter look at first, as if he had been splashed with ice water in the dead of winter.

 

“Forgive me miss. I am not looking for that company right now."He said as he took a seat at the stool.

  
The days after Goody was plagued with his dreams, he even started to sleep at separate times the Billy did so the other would not hear his screams. The questions on if he was fine were getting to him as well, as he did not know how to respond to them, he was putting on a act. The owl came and went as well as the faces.  
  
The war would come at dawn. That is what Red had told them, and since he heard those words he could hear the owl in his head,his ears ringing. He swore his blood pressure was high and his appetite low. Its been some time since he felt this pain of anguish and dread.

 

Goody barely recalled what was being said to him at dinner, apart from Faraday drunkenly introducing his wife Ethel and a mistress named Maria. This man. He was half a hoot and an hollar he’d give him that, perhaps he was good for Elizabeth. His thoughts ended as a distant hoot drew him back and he gripped Billy chair harder.

 

“ _Billy the owl_..”

 

He was now back in their room packing and getting his effects together muttering to himself his hands shaking. He jumped as the door opened sensing Billy's presence. “Billy you have to believe me its the owl.”he said as his hands shook.

 

“Adelaide she is here i feel her eyes. Her voice asking me not to kill. And I killed her Billy the owl I..”He looked to Billy seeing a much calmer face reading him, he dries his eyes quickly as Billy approached.”You do not need a broken mess like me holding  you here. You and Violet, hell Elizabeth would be better without me she has Faraday. “He said sinking to the bed. This was not their first time having this talk and he knew what Billy was to say.

 

“I will not force you to stay Goody,”He watched Billy telling him and prepared to have Him reason more.”But i cannot leave these people and the town when I am needed.” This shocked the man. Had he heard right. Was this Billy trying to get him to his proper mindset.

 

He stood then grabbing his hat and saddlebags.”Billy I cannot stay. I am a no good coward. A husk or a dead weight. “He tells him as he walked past to the door. He didn't hear Billy say anything to him at that point or the whole walk to the upstairs door. He figured Billy would find him in the place they knew afterwards. If he wanted to.

 

Leaving the town took longer. Sam had stopped him on his way out. Once on the ridge line overlooking the whole of Rose Creek. He would camp there the night. Wait till morning to leave. He sighed as he made a small fire watching the flames and Embers dance.

 

He fell asleep at some point. His mind taking him some place he has not been too. The room. He knows the walls. The pictures hung,that bed,untouched since that day. Even in dreams he dare not stare at it. A shadow held his eyes there though,the outline of a large owl at the window. He closed his eyes as he saw the bird move.  
  
“You are finally here now.”A voice asked him, it was almost haunting how beautiful and smooth her voice sounded it shook him to his bones. His eyes opened and he met her, that same girl he knew as a child, the one who grew up with him. He remembered her hair, that faded to a almost a golden brown but her eyes never changing from their chocolate color. His wife, his first love lost too soon. Becoming an entity that haunted him so  
  
“Addie, I.”His voice failed him as he finally addressed the owl. His eyes casting downwards as he cleared his throat.”When will this end? Or get better. They need me..Billy.”He shook his head and looked up to her tears rolling down his cheeks.”I know you are bitter about me going to the war, and I missed when Violet, and your death”He rambled till she cupped his face silencing him.  
  
“I do not torment you so. I am your guide. You are a fool Goody, a haunted poor fool my dear.”Her words pierced him, what was the owl to him, did he mean to cause him pain or remind him of a past he did not need to repeat.”How is Violet? And Billy?”Her words drew him back.  
  
“Violet is at home, with Eliza I had expected but. I met Eliza’s husband so its likely our girl is holding the house down alone. Billy, he is most likely disappointed he met and loved me.”Goody trailed his words at the end as he swore he could hear distant booms and shits popping. “Addie. I, I cannot do this. This is torment. I need your help. Release me..”He pleaded as he let his knees buckle. His weight bringing him to the floor clutching at her dress made of fabric and feathers all alike.”Billy.”He whispered as he saw what looked like Rose Creek under attack flash into the wide paned window.  
  
His eyes looked back as he stood. His old composure coming back and filling him with heat.”I am no longer afraid of you. I am not my past. I can change my fate and destiny.”He tells her as the image in front of him falters and the room flashes.  
  
He feels himself come to just as she smiles at him. His body jolting upright looking around he could see an owl perched in a tree nearby staring him down.”You do not control me anymore ya hear?”He swaked at the bird as he stood up,Thrusting his hat upon his head he grabbed the reins of his horse as he climbed on. Turning the beast to the town he rode off with a war cry as he had down in his service in the war.  
  
Though the whole of the battle for the town was a blur. He arrived in time to warn about “The devil's grip”, The bell tower and helping Faraday charge the gun and the men keeping it. But after the fall from that bell tower his world was black and silent. It was himself in his head. He awoke in what felt like ages to a brightly lit room. He was in a bed, but this was not the boarding house.  
  
His head turned to the left seeing a row of Three beds next to his own, the last has a occupant laying there, wrapped up almost head to toe in bandages. Was that Faraday? The man survived whatever hell he faced. He could see Jack Horne in the bed just opposite of Joshua, sitting up and reading from the bible.  
  
“You know I have half the mind to throttle you if you were not so injured.”The voice drew him back with a jolt and he looked to his right. Eliza sat down in the empty chair by his bedside. “At your age falling from a darn church tower. Allowing my husband to mess with Dynamite.”She huffed at him and he grinned, it was a good relief even if he were being scolded by the flustered woman. “But then Josh is also to blame he was supposed to wait in that damn city he was nearly killed in”She rambled on as his badges were checked.  
  
“Joshua is a special soul”He said vaguely as he cleared his throat.”Its nice to see you Eliza, though I would have preferred it'd be Billy. Less motherly and..Ouch”He winced as she pressed on his head  abit, effectively getting him to shut up. Its when he noticed, she had changed, her dark hair more sun kissed and not only that.”Did Josh know if the child when he left

  
  
He felt her eyes drop on him as he looked from her curved middle to her face.”He did yes. We were settling on some land before this mess happened,”Her voice was soft as she told him this.”And Violet is here as well, Though she is helping out at the school now while the teacher and men do repairs. The children love how she tells stories from the books. That one fellow is quite taken with her.”He hummed as his eyes looked to the door.  
  
“Teddy she means.”Billy said smoothy as he walked to the bed.He wore a few bandages on his chest.”They are smitten? Is that the word you used?”He laughed as he hears Billy try the word out before sitting up and stretching. He looked to the bed on the end as Eliza started to explain what that word meant to his lover.  
  
He cast his gaze over to Faraday , his head shaking as he saw the numerous injuries the man had suffered that were not so well hidden. He was the fortunate one and he hates that.”Such is Youth.”He whispered before looking to see two sets of confused eyes on him.”Its nothing I am okay, I just need to get up and walk.”He grunts,pushing himself up to his feet. He felt two pairs of hands on him then.”I am alright. I ain’t dead yet, not for a long while and that damn boy better watch himself with papa Goodnight up and on the mend.”He threatened to the air it seemed,Teddy was not there to hear it yet.  
  
“The only stories he’ll be hearing will be from the dead is he so mush has hurt her feelings.”He then chuckled as he allowed Billy to walk him out from the room and to the yard.Breathing in the fresh air through his nose he looked around. “Good lord.”He said as he saw a town already on the mend and looking almost new. And they had done this.

 

“Billy?”He asked as he watched the people,assisted by Red and Vasquez, move about. He didn't need to wait on a noise from his partner to speak.”I am done running from my demons. This is home.”He spoke in a choked up manner.

 

The arm tightening around him was the only response he needed. After all the years of torment delt and suffered. The Angel of Death found his beginning anew. And he intended to keep it  as such, to the end of his days.

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh my first long story with my one Characters I hope you enjoy. I am debating making this a whole story but we shall see


End file.
